Nokia Lumia 610: “Cheapest Windows smartphone” yet

What is dubbed as the budget-concious customer’s dream-set was announced at the Mobile World Congress, back in February, keeping in line with Nokia’s comeback strategy of releasing more affordable Windows-based models. Set to launch during the first week of June, with UK telcos on-board, the Nokia Lumia 610 is set to compete in the hottest smartphone segment for this summer.

Nokia’s Push for Volume-Based Revenue Strategy

The new Lumia 610 will push the Windows Phone mobile platform against Android’s more budget minded handsets. Running Windows Phone 7.5 Tango, the OS has been specifically developed by Microsoft to run on smartphones with less powerful hardware. The hardware specifications include a single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 7227A processor which clocks at 800MHz, 256MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera with LED flash and a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels.

Priced at just under £100 in the UK, Nokia hopes this will attract more budget conscious consumers, and pay off in terms of sales volume. Additionally, support is provided for 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Available in black, cyan and pink, dimensions are 119.2mm x 62.2mm x 12.0mm.

Price Limits Equal Performance Limits

Albeit, there’s another side to the coin. Microsoft has promptly warned prospective buyers that the hardware/software combination might struggle or not even run some of the more demanding applications available from the Marketplace. Skype is one such example, as it requires twice as much RAM. Otherwise, the phone itself is said to function very smoothly and offers a near-identical experience to the more powerful Lumia models. During an event in London, it was revealed that the Windows Phone Marketplace has been attracting more developers, a sign that Nokia’s comeback strategy just might be paying off like it should.